Name: The Halfway Homemade Cake I Make Every Single Valentine’s Day
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 1 h 45 min
Yield: 12
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: Nonstick cooking spray; 1 cup sweetened coconut flakes, divided; 1 (15.25-ounce) boxed white cake mix, preferably Super Moist; 3 large eggs; 1 cup canned full-fat coconut milk; 1/4 cup vegetable oil or melted unsalted butter; 2 teaspoons vanilla extract; 1/2 teaspoon lime zest; 8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature; 1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature; 2 to 3 cups powdered sugar, as needed; 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 Spray a 9x13-inch baking pan with cooking spray.

2 On a large baking sheet, spread the coconut flakes into an even layer. Bake in the preheated oven, stirring halfway through, until the coconut is golden brown and toasted, 5 to 8 minutes. Keep a close eye on the coconut as it can burn quickly. Let cool on the baking sheet (as it cools, it will continue to toast from the residual heat).

3 In a large bowl, combine the cake mix, eggs, coconut milk, vegetable oil or melted butter, vanilla extract, and lime zest. Mix with a rubber spatula until completely combined. Fold 3/4 cup of the toasted coconut into the batter. Pour the batter into the greased baking pan.

4 Bake according to the package directions until lightly golden and a toothpick comes out clean, 20 to 28 minutes. Let cool in the pan.

5 Using an electric mixer, beat together the softened cream cheese and butter on medium speed until smooth, 3 to 4 minutes. Use a rubber spatula to scrape down the sides. On low speed, add 2 cups of powdered sugar and the vanilla extract. Scrape the sides of the bowl down to fully incorporate. Mix until creamy, adding more sugar as needed, a little at a time, to get your desired sweetness and thickness.

6 Use an offset spatula to spread the frosting on top of the cooled cake. Sprinkle with the remaining 1/4 cup toasted coconut flakes. Cream cheese frosted cakes can sit in a room-temperature kitchen for up to one day. To store longer, cover with plastic wrap or a cake cover and refrigerate for up to 4 days. Remove from the fridge 30 minutes before serving to bring to room temperature. Love the recipe? Leave us stars and a comment below!